Learn To Play Double Bass

Adding the double bass drum to any beat, groove, or solo will add a lot of spice and variety. When you play double bass, you are adding an extra limb to increase your options with fills, beats, and other patterns around the drum set. A lot of drummers consider double bass drumming to be more for power metal rock, and heavy metal. This is not true at all. Although there is a lot of double bass in most heavy metal music, the double bass drum can be played in any style of music. Since you are a drummer, it is good to train each limb to be completely independent; this way you can truly get the most out of your drum set.

Here are a few practice warm ups you can do to start developing your double bass drum. Keep in mind these are only warm ups; however you can always use these in beats and fills where you see fit. Developing your double bass is not an easy thing to do. The leg muscle is very large, and takes some time to train. So before you get disappointed in your progress, realize that this takes patience. You will eventually get it!

Start by doing a basic single stroke roll on your bass pedals. You will notice that training your feet are a lot like training your hands, so basic rudiments work well! Try this roll slow at first to make sure you are playing it correctly. Also, you will want to make sure each stroke is the same volume. Most beginner double bass players have trouble getting even strokes out of their double bass pedal, so try and hit evenly. Try this pattern alone, and then add in some snare and hi hat to make it a beat:

This next practice exercise involves your sticks and your feet. Since we want to develop independence, we will be playing totally different patterns on our feet and hands. On the snare drum play an 8th note paradiddle. On your bass drum, continue with your single stroke roll. This is a little trickier to play, so start slow. Remember to keep each hit even, or the pattern will not sound fluent. Try this:

These are two very basic warm ups and practice exercises anyone can do to start developing their double bass drum independence and endurance. Like I said before, this is a concept that takes time to develop, so make sure you are patient. Try incorporating these patterns and concepts into your day to day playing! Have Fun!

Check out Double Bass Drumming for some free videos for double bass drumming beginners, or visit the Drum Forums on FreeDrumLessons.com to post any questions you have.

Do you want to learn drums? Visit LearningDrums.com for more information.

Learn how to play double bass on the drums with Mike Michalkow's complete Drumming System!